1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the field of training and nutrition programs and more specifically relates to comprehensive drug-free training programs for use by athletes in conjunction with ph monitoring to reduce or eliminate lactic acid.
2. Description of the Related Art
Athletes participating in various sporting events may require training programs to be competitive. Conventional physical training programs are typically executed and carried out by coaches or trainers. Athletes have different body structures and compositions which may need to be quantitatively evaluated to maximize and achieve the results from training. Custom tailoring a training program and routine to each individual's specific needs may prove difficult. If these tailor-made training programs are not suitably user-defined, an athlete cannot significantly improve. Further, when using traditional training techniques the likelihood of an athlete ‘plateauing’ at less than an optimum level are dramatically increased thereby resulting in lower peak energy output. This may manifest itself when an athlete is no longer able to increase their level of difficulty when exercising such as weight lifting or shorten their times when running.
Sustained exercise such as for example, marathon running increases the whole-body energy requirement by 20-30 times over resting levels. It is vital that the health of individual athletes be stable during exercise periods, competition periods, and in non-exertive durations. There are many metaphysical changes that occur within the human body during periods of intense exercise. As an example, heart rate increases, perspiration increases, internal body temperature rises, and various internal chemical reactions may take place. One of these effects is acidosis causing increases in lactate concentration during heavy exercise which may result in detrimental effects such as muscle burn.
Muscle burn is largely the result of lactic acid which indicates hydrogen ion buildup in the system. Acid concentration increases when an athlete exceeds what is called the lactate threshold, the point at which the body can no longer flush or neutralize acid wastes as fast as they are being produced. When an athlete crosses the lactate threshold for an extended time period, acid accumulates in the muscles and can lead to cramping, severely compromising athletic performance. Due to the large amounts of ATP being produced and hydrolysed in a short period of time, the buffering systems of the tissues are overcome, causing pH to fall and creating a state of acidosis, a natural process which facilitates the easier dissociation of Oxyhaemoglobin and allows easier transfer of oxygen from the blood. This may be one factor, among many, that contributes to the acute muscular discomfort experienced shortly after intense exercise. Elevated levels of lactic acid in the system are an indicator of lactic pH imbalance; hence a need exists for an athlete to be properly pH-balanced to achieve optimum results.
Balancing of pH while understanding the negative implication of pH imbalance is a vital component for elite athletes who want to reduce muscle fatigue by decreasing lactic acid which indicates hydrogen ion buildup, thereby permitting an athlete to increase performance. Obtaining a healthy pH balance may mean the difference between greater athletic accomplishments and coming up short.
Maintaining a proper pH balance is also an important aspect of maintaining a healthy lifestyle on and off the sports field. pH is measured on a 14-point scale, with 7 being deemed neutral. Pure (neutral) water has a pH around 7 at 25° C. (77° F.); this value varies with temperature. When an acid is dissolved in water the pH will be less than 7 (if at 25° C. (77° F.)) and when a base, or alkali is dissolved in water the pH will be greater than 7 (if at 25° C. (77° F.)). The lower the pH value, the higher the acidity; the higher the pH value, the more alkaline (basic). pH values vary throughout systems in the human body and should be properly balanced and maintained through diet, exercise and a healthy lifestyle.
Therefore a need exists for a comprehensive athletic training program that uses pH balancing in conjunction with individualized training, a user-defined dietary plan, with a supplement plan for each individual to obtain an optimal pH while decreasing lactic acid and hydrogen-ion build-up to achieve optimum performance.
Various attempts have been made to solve the above-mentioned problems such as those found in U.S. Pat. and Publication Nos. 6,159,476; 4,871,550; 2009/0269728; 6,165,105; 2010/0015586; 2010/0009328; and 4,973,467. This prior art is representative of training and nutrition programs. None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the invention as claimed.
Ideally, a comprehensive athletic training program should be reliable for use with athletes of various body weights and ages and provide a safe, healthy program that can be used consistently. Thus, a need exists for a reliable comprehensive drug-free athletic training program to maximize health and training of athletes and to avoid the above-mentioned problems.